Maine wardens busy with serious snowmobile accidents

CARIBOU — First responders and the Maine Warden Service were busy over the weekend with four separate snowmobile crashes that seriously injured several of the men involved.

Cpl. John MacDonald of the warden service said Sunday afternoon that the first crash happened on Saturday evening in New Sweden.

MacDonald said that Ryan Rogers, 28, of Caribou was southbound on Interconnected Trail System 83 at 5:15 p.m. when he collided with a moose that had stepped onto the trail.

Rogers was in the middle of a group of nine snowmobiles when the crash happened. He complained of extreme pain in his left arm and shoulder and was flown to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor with serious injuries. Rogers was wearing a helmet, which MacDonald said was completely distorted due to the crash. The moose was dispatched by wardens due to severe injuries.

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Just after midnight Sunday morning, wardens went to Eustis to investigate a single snowmobile crash in which the operator struck a vehicle on Airport Road.

MacDonald said that Jason Pillsbury, 28, of Strong was driving a Toyota Tacoma on Airport Road when the vehicle left the road and rolled over.

A short time later, John Morris, 37, of Eustis was driving his 2013 Arctic Cat snowmobile on Airport Road and when he came upon Pillsbury’s vehicle and struck it. Morris was taken to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington and then to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston with serious injuries. The Maine State Police and Eustis Fire and Rescue assisted with the incident. Speed is a contributing factor in the crash.

Two hours later in China, wardens were called to a snowmobile crash off the Stanley Hill Road.

MacDonald said that Kenneth Cormier, 47, of China and David Willard, 25, of Oakland were on the sled, with Willard driving. The men encountered a small mound in a field and lost control of the sled, with both men being ejected. The men were able to operate the machine and drove it back to a residence. They were both taken to Maine General Hospital in Waterville with moderate injuries. Speed was a contributing factor in the incident.

The final crash took place at approximately 1:30 a.m. in Limerick, according to MacDonald. John Ferguson, 50, of Limerick was westbound on Sokokis Lake when he crashed into the shoreline near Philpot’s Landing. Ferguson was ejected and collided with a shed near a camp. Ferguson suffered serious injuries and was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland. MacDonald said that it was extremely foggy at the time of the accident. Speed was a contributing factor in the crash.